With $70 million in cap space, the New York Knicks can not only offer max contracts in free agency but acquire large salaries from other teams via trade in exchange for draft assets. It opens money for the other party while supporting New York’s rebuild.
Before free agency could start, the Houston Rockets attempted this; they shopped Chris Paul to the Knicks, who refused their trade exploration, according to The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor.
This follows a Yahoo report of Paul wanting out due to an “unsalvagable” relationship with James Harden. They were one win away from making the 2018 NBA Finals and ran into the Golden State Warriors for the second consecutive year in the playoffs in May.